Men’s Track and Field Team Finish as National Runner-up

Joe Horn (Waynesfield, Ohio/Waynesfield-Goshen) provided a new definition for closing speed on May 25 at the NCAA Division II outdoor track and field championships in Pueblo, Colo.

Drew Windle (New Albany, Ohio) gave new meaning to the term, "breakaway speed."

Finally, the AU men's track and field team demonstrated once again that if you're going to maintain its pace, you'd better have an impressive second gear.

Horn, a senior, competed as a collegian for the final time Saturday. On his getaway day, he earned four All-America honors, finishing fifth in the 200 (20.84), seventh in the 100 (10.49) and running on the 4X4 relay that was third (3:07.34) and the 4X1 relay that was sixth (40.29).

Windle, a sophomore, won his second national championship of the year in the 800 (1:48.52). He won the title indoors in 1:48.75. Some would say Windle is coming into his own. Others would say he owns the 400 and he's got two years of eligibility remaining.

The men's team finished second, an impressive encore to finishing as the national runner-up during the indoor season. Add in a ninth-place finish for the men's cross country team at nationals and no one would argue that the Eagles were dominant from Labor Day to Memorial Day.

St. Augustine's won the men's national championship with 105 points. Ashland (57) was second and Adams State (44) was third. Grand Canyon (40) finished fourth and Western State (36) was fifth.

The AU women finished ninth in the team standings with 25.5 points. The national championship went to Academy of Art with 60 points. Johnson C. Smith (54) was second and Lincoln and Grand Valley State tied for third. Both schools had 51 points. GVSU was the defending national champion. Adams State (42) was fifth.

The Eagles finished these championships with three national titles. In addition to Drew Windle winning the 800, Garrett Grey (Grahamsville, N.Y./Tri-Valley Central) was first in the hammer throw and Katie Nageotte (Olmsted Falls, Ohio) won a national crown in the pole vault.